Newly-acquired Blackhawk chopper crashes, pilots and crew die
MANILA – The Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed the deaths of three pilots and three crewmembers aboard a Sikorsky-70i Blackhawk helicopter while on night proficiency flight.
The Blackhawk helicopter was at the vicinity of Crow Valley near Clark Air Base last night when the crash took place.
Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana said the entire Blackhawk fleet has been grounded while the accident is still being investigated.
There are 11 Blackhawk choppers in the Philippine Air Force inventory. It will be recalled five Blackhawk helicopters arrived at the Clark International Airport last Monday, June 8.
Considered as multi-mission utility helicopters and can be utilized for different purposes.
At the Philippine Air Force, they said the Blackhawk helicopter comes from the 205h Tactical Helicopter Wing and was a few miles from the Colonel Ernesto Rabina Air Base in Capas, Tarlac.
The ill-fated helicopter was reported late in returning to its station at Clark Air Base in Pampanga. The PAF personnel are still undertaking appropriate retrieval and recovery activities.
The crew was on night proficiency training when the mishap took place.On board was a Lt. Col. and two Majors, a Master Sergeant, a Technical Sergeant and one Sergeant.They were not identified until their next of kin ha
Newly-acquired Sikorsky-70i Blackhawk file photo from the Philippine Air Force. (Melo M. Acuna/PAF Photo)